Why is a defensive tackle so important to this team right now?

[ChuckA1]

Look, I love the Cowboys and support the FO. I'm just that type of fan and have been since 1962! That's a long time! All of this said,
I just can't figure out why the FO seems to not value a huge, snarly 1T. Why can't they see that with push up the middle, taking on two
offensive linemen makes things far more easy for one or both DE's to get to the QB. Also, he greatly helps stop the big runs up the middle!

 

[ESisback]

can't add much to the answers already given. they sound right to me.

Yep

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

It wasn't just the DTs, it was also because of the lack of adjustments and coaching. Better DTs may have helped, but we had been good against the run most of the year,coaching and preparedness was as much a factor in what happened against the Rams.

I don't know that the adjustments were not tried by the coaching staff. I mean, we really will never know what actually happened there, but we certainly didn't get it done and we never were able to successfully adjust. That's 100% true. However, we still don't really have that guy who you can sit at the 1 and just let him dominate gap control in the middle. Nobody on our team is really dominating there. We have a lot of guys who like to get up field and not a lot of guys who necessarily like to play lane discipline football. Rams game was a perfect example of this IMO.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

Because an injured RB and an overweight RB gashed us for 273 yards in the most important game of the season and we couldn't get our defense off the field.

Could not have said it better myself, and really I guess the Colts game with a no name RB gashing us when there all world QB throwing for under 200 yards and no TD's and we still could not stop them because of the run game was just the beginning of what camed later.

 

[Roadtrip635]

I don't know that the adjustments were not tried by the coaching staff. I mean, we really will never know what actually happened there, but we certainly didn't get it done and we never were able to successfully adjust. That's 100% true. However, we still don't really have that guy who you can sit at the 1 and just let him dominate gap control in the middle. Nobody on our team is really dominating there. We have a lot of guys who like to get up field and not a lot of guys who necessarily like to play lane discipline football. Rams game was a perfect example of this IMO.

I'm not saying we shouldn't upgrade, but too many overlook how much coaching is involved. 1's that can stuff the run and pass rush are very rare. Better DTs would have helped, but we weren't prepared for the run heavy, motion offense that the Rams employed. We held down other good rushing teams, so when a team rushed for almost 300 yds, there's also an issue with the scheme and alignments being used. This was a very good run defense that got out muscled and out coached.

 

[Starforever]

The defense was gashed and the team lost by eight points. Just a little coaching would have made a difference. I would not have liked the yards given up on the ground, but if they had won, it would have been acceptable. The Cowboys culture at times seems to be, "whatever."

 

[MapleLeaf]

Sometimes it's just nice to talk General football. Without having a main topic. Why is a defensive tackle so important to this team right now. What is the offense going to look like. More balance. Can Prescott be the main focus.

The game is won on the lines. Championship games are won on the defensive line. Typically, with the exception of the Bucs and Ravens SuperBowl wins, teams who make the final bracket of the tournament have no issues scoring.

It's the team who can put together a string of crucial stops who wins the games....typically.

D-line is huge for us. It is an area that is decimated. Right now put question marks on Crawford, Gregory and Charlton. Irving said bye bye to football. Lawrence is working getting his new long term deal, and still holding back on doing a tune up on his shoulder.

We need certainty on the line. Also our current line is managed through substitutions. Any team that plays quick pace on us will get the team caught with either too many players on the field, unprepared for the play or disrupt our substitution scheme.

We need quality d-linemen to help us control the game.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I'm not saying we shouldn't upgrade, but too many overlook how much coaching is involved. 1's that can stuff the run and pass rush are very rare. Better DTs would have helped, but we weren't prepared for the run heavy, motion offense that the Rams employed. We held down other good rushing teams, so when a team rushed for almost 300 yds, there's also an issue with the scheme and alignments being used. This was a very good run defense that got out muscled and out coached.

Really tough when you never ever try to draft one.

Our team didn't get out muscled IMO. They got blocked up and when you make it easy for the other team to block you, no amount of power or speed is going to help. Our Defense is made to order for the scheme that was played against us and we had no counter. Didn't help that we were banged at DT either but still, we just don't have the personnel to dominate that kind of game.

You can say that the scheme that was developed to start the game was wrong and that we got outcoached there, that would fair. However, we don't know that the Coaching Staff didn't try to make adjustments and that our team just couldn't get them done or not. I mean, say what you want about Marinelli but he's not a stupid guy. He's been around this sport for a long, long time. I don't buy into the whole, Defense never saw what was happening to them, thing. I mean, I've been on teams where your coaches tell you what the problem is and what needs to be adjusted and certain players just go out and do whatever they want, instead of listening to the staff. You see that a lot in games where gap discipline is crucial and you have speed defensively. I don't know that this is not what happened. As I said, we will probably never really know for sure but I just find it hard to believe that we were too stupid to try and adjust. JMO

 

[Doomsday101]

I don't know that the adjustments were not tried by the coaching staff. I mean, we really will never know what actually happened there, but we certainly didn't get it done and we never were able to successfully adjust. That's 100% true. However, we still don't really have that guy who you can sit at the 1 and just let him dominate gap control in the middle. Nobody on our team is really dominating there. We have a lot of guys who like to get up field and not a lot of guys who necessarily like to play lane discipline football. Rams game was a perfect example of this IMO.

Woods is showing that but he was asked to play more snaps than he should have. We have little to noting in that rotation

 

[MojaveJT]

I just wished they took the DL seriously like they do with the OL.

I mean, who doesn’t want a DL that can stuff runs and create pressure on the opposing QB, allowing or DE’s to get good looks? It’s ridiculous.

 

[speedkilz88]

The DTs did not get penetration against the rams. That's a must in Marinelli's scheme and what was odd is that they were terrific getting penetration against the seahawks the prior week.

 

[Doomsday101]

I just wished they took the DL seriously like they do with the OL.

I mean, who doesn’t want a DL that can stuff runs and create pressure on the opposing QB, allowing or DE’s to get good looks? It’s ridiculous.

They have used picks for Lawrence, Gregory, Taco and Collins it is not as if they are bypassing the DL. I will say Gregory actions have put Dallas in a situation where we are having to fill his spot as opposed to using that pick on other areas.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Woods is showing that but he was asked to play more snaps than he should have. We have little to noting in that rotation

That's kind of the thing thou. Woods is a rotation guy, to me, who has the capacity to rotate into that style of play but he's not a guy who can dominate the LOS all game long there. Especially for an entire season. That's kinda what I mean when I say we just don't have the personnel to do that and we certainly don't have enough of those guys either. If you are going to play that penetrating style Defense with your DTs, then you gotta have a guy who can just flat beat the block because if you don't, you are going to get schemed. We don't have that guy either and that's the real problem. We have guys who are good at that but we don't have that one DT like a Harris in Chicago or a Sapp in Tampa or a Donald like the Rams have. That's why the resentment for Irving runs soo deep on this board. He was that kind of player and he could have been that guy for us but when we really need him, he's suspended. That's the guy we are missing if you are going to play that style of Defense.

Kinda frustrating for sure. LOL......

 

[noshame]

Everything has been said but as a former DTI can tell you if you're really good you can disrupt the entire game plan you can take away long pass short pass and the run. Collapsing the pocket makes everybody else on the defense a better player.
Providing you have a defensive coordinator that allows you to get up the field

 

[MojaveJT]

They have used picks for Lawrence, Gregory, Taco and Collins it is not as if they are bypassing the DL. I will say Gregory actions have put Dallas in a situation where we are having to fill his spot as opposed to using that pick on other areas.

That’s true. They swung and missed on Taco but they drafted him out of need and not BPA. Gregory was always a risk and that hasn’t panned out.

They’ve taken safe, blue chip players like Frederick and Martin that weren’t risky unlike what they’ve done with the DL, is all I’m saying.

 

[Beaker42]

Because an injured RB and an overweight RB gashed us for 273 yards in the most important game of the season and we couldn't get our defense off the field.

It’s OK - we like our guys. 1 bad run defense game out of 18 is completely tolerable.

 

[GenoT]

The middle of our D-line has been an issue for quite a few seasons. The Rams playoff loss underlined this.

I like Dak, but he needs particular scheming to be most effective; hopefully his ex-QB coach, and now OC, will engender improvement.

 

[Whirlwin]

That's kind of the thing thou. Woods is a rotation guy, to me, who has the capacity to rotate into that style of play but he's not a guy who can dominate the LOS all game long there. Especially for an entire season. That's kinda what I mean when I say we just don't have the personnel to do that and we certainly don't have enough of those guys either. If you are going to play that penetrating style Defense with your DTs, then you gotta have a guy who can just flat beat the block because if you don't, you are going to get schemed. We don't have that guy either and that's the real problem. We have guys who are good at that but we don't have that one DT like a Harris in Chicago or a Sapp in Tampa or a Donald like the Rams have. That's why the resentment for Irving runs soo deep on this board. He was that kind of player and he could have been that guy for us but when we really need him, he's suspended. That's the guy we are missing if you are going to play that style of Defense.

Kinda frustrating for sure. LOL......

80% of your squad needs to be football players. That's what I call them. Only 20% can be money Players. And I'll take football players any day of the week. Example Bill Bates Jeff Heath Shawn Lee's. Those are football players. I'd rather have a guy trying to make a name for himself then somebody who already made the name

 

[Whirlwin]

The middle of our D-line has been an issue for quite a few seasons. The Rams playoff loss underlined this.

I like Dak, but he needs particular scheming to be most effective; hopefully his ex-QB coach, and now OC, will engender improvement.

That's why I would get rid of Lawrence. He's not that good if we don't have a middle Rush the quarterback steps up and he can't get there why have great ends without a middle drives me freaking crazy LOL

 

[Nightman]

Yup. Chris Carson was 5th in the league in rushing, and we held him to 13 carries for 20 yards just the week before in the Wild Card game.

I'm not buying that it was just the DT's that fell apart. Coaching was definitely a factor.

and then Belichick shut them down and he doesn't have world beaters at DT